Oktoberfest, DISH and more on this week's culinary calendar

Harvest Week begins this Sunday and runs through Friday, September 27. The week-long celebration features 36 EatDenver restaurants collaborating on a series of pop-up dinner parties at the GrowHaus, 4751 York Street. The parties (a brunch and five dinners) will have interactive themes and sell out incredibly quickly; go to the website to learn more.

Note: Prospect Eats has been canceled this evening; look for the food truck gathering to return to Prospect Park, 700 Tenacity in Longmont, on Monday, September 23.

Tuesday, September 17:

Alamo Drafthouse, 7301 South Santa Fe Drive in Littleton, is hosting a Fight Club food and film event. Chef Seth Rexroad has prepared a four-course meal coordinated with David Fincher's film; each plate has been paired with a specialty Odell brew. For more information about the courses and beer, as well as tickets ($45), go to The Alamo Drafthouse website.

The 26th annual Uptown Sampler takes place from 5 to 8:30 p.m. this evening. Tickets ($20 in advance, $25 the day of) to the crawl include samples from restaurants in the neighborhood, wine tastings, live entertainment and drink specials. Visit the website for the full lineup of participating establishments and ticket information.

Kachina

Wednesday, September 18:

Kachina Southwestern Grill, 10600 Westminster Boulevard in Westminster, continues its "Beast & Beer" dinner series showcasing locally raised meat and Colorado craft beer. Tonight's feast features beers from Oskar Blues paired with meat from the brewery's own Hops and Heifers Farm; there will be a beer-cocktail hour at 6 p.m followed by a four-course dinner at 7 p.m. Reservations are required; seats are $55 and space is limited. Call the restaurant at 303-410-5813 or visit the website for more details.

Note: The 2nd Annual Fill a Plate for Hunger benefit at the Denver Botanic Gardens has sold out. Visit the website for more information.

Thursday, September 19:

The first annual Lodo Sips goes down tonight from 5 to 8 p.m. For $35, guests will be given the opportunity to sample various beers, wines and spirits, accompanied by bar food and small plates samples from thirteen different LoDo bars and restaurants; visit the website for more details.

The Colorado Mountain Winefest gets under way today at the Wine Country Inn, 777 Grand River Drive in Palisade. The festival runs through Sunday, September 22. and features more than 45 Colorado wineries, food and wine pairings, demonstrations and live entertainment. Go to the website for the full schedule of events and ticketing information.

Friday, September 20:

Left Hand Brewing is hosting an Oktoberfest from 4 to 10 p.m. today and noon to 10 p.m. tomorrow in Roosevelt Park in Longmont. Free and open to all ages, it will feature live music, German-themed activities, and beers from Left Hand, Oskar Blues and other breweries. There will also be best-dressed, stein-holding and bratwurst-eating contests. Get more information at the brewery's website.

Lowry Beer Garden, 7577 East Academy Boulevard, is hostings its second annual Oktoberfest, bringing lederhosen, beer liters and German food back from 6:30 to 10 p.m. today and tomorrow, with live music from oompah bands and a mini-tap takeover by Odell Brewing. (Anyone wearing a German dirndl or lederhosen gets his first beer free.) Check the website for more information.

The Black Crown Culinary Experience takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. at Plalazzo Verdi Event Center. The event features dishes from culinary students, who've been paired with professional chefs from local restaurants, including The Palm, Del Frisco's, EDGE, Japon, Mangia Bevi Café, Jing and Big Bubbas BBQ. There will also be music from the Vocality Singers, Jesse Gabriel, sitar musician Citrus Sauthoff and electric violinist Dave Vallinos. Tickets are $75 and proceeds will support the Emily Griffith Technical College scholarship program; visit the website for more information.

The 6th annual Grapes Against Wrath goes down at the Fritz Knoebel School of Hospitality, 2044 East Evans Avenue at University of Denver, tonight. The event runs from 6 to 9 p.m. and features samples of wine, spirits and cocktails. There will also be food from local restaurants, including Lola, Jax Fish House, Linger, Root Down and City Bakery. Tickets are $85 in advance or $100 at the door; go to the website for more information.

In addition to food and drink, there will be live entertainment and other surprises. And for the first time, DISH will be held during the day -- so you can actually see what you're eating! Doors open at noon for VIP (tickets are $60) and 1:30 for general admission ($35); the fun continues until 4 p.m. Get your tickets now at microapp.westword.com/dish/2013.

For information on dozens of culinary events around town, visit our online Food & Drink listings -- and if you have information for a culinary event you'd like included in our online calendar, send it to cafe@westword.com.